Chemical Ecology Throughout the Tree of Life: from Theory to Practice
Scope: Anthropogenic changes not only affect ecosystems at large, but also interactions within and between species. Almost all species interact with their environment through chemical signals and cues, and chemical communication is the most abundant form of communication in life. Chemical communications take place between individuals of the same species and between different species at different trophic levels, to make decisions on whether to hide or forage, to find a sexual partner, to search for a resource and to avoid a competitor or natural enemy. Chemical communications are therefore crucial in the web of life.
In the postgraduate course 'Chemical Ecology throughout the tree of life', we will focus on how man-made changes to the environment can influence chemical communications within and between microorganisms, plants, herbivores and disease vectors. Since chemical signals and cues often consist of complex mixtures of multiple compounds, and responses to this information often depend on precise ratios of these compounds, chemical information is not only hard to measure but also particularly vulnerable to anthropocentric changes in the environment. We will not only focus on how chemical information can be collected and analyzed, but also on the environmental factors that can affect chemical communications and zoom in on the underlying mechanisms of producing and perceiving chemical information. There will also be two hands-on workshops on how to analyze large datasets in the field of chemical ecology.
Target group: PhD candidates and other academics
Course duration: 5 days
Contact: PE&RC Office: office.pe@wur.nl
Registration of interest: You can register your interest HERE (note: this is not an official registration).
Dr. Gilian van Duijvendijk (PE&RC)
Email: gilian.vanduijvendijk@wur.nl
